Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

Albert Warner Disposes of 6, 300 Shares in Month Officers and directors of only two motion picture orporations reported dealings in the securities of lieir companies in November, it was disclosed at tie year-end by the monthly summary of the Seurities and Exchange Commission in Philadelphia. The largest block of stock involved was 6,500 hares of Warner Brothers common, of which \.lbert Warner, New York officer, disposed in a eries of sales which left him with 220,950 shares. A considerable total of Monogram Pictures Cororation common stock was added to the holdings f various officers and directors, with Samuel Iroidy, vice-president, buying 1,499 and selling 500 nares, leaving him with 7,799 shares ; Arthur C. iromberg, Atlanta, director, buying 900 shares irough Monogram Southern Exchange, Inc., for total of 21,539 shares ; William B. Hurlbut,, De■oit, director, buying 200 shares through Monoram Pictures of Michigan, for a total of 1,600 lares ; Herman Rifkin, Boston, buying 1,867 lares through Monogram Pictures, Inc., for a )tal of 19 492 .shares; Norton V. Ritchey, viceresident, Duymg 100 shares to give him 4,667 lares, and Charles W. Trampe, Milwaukee, direcir, buying 400 shares through Monogram Mid-, est FiTtn~-Compa.ny, increasing its portfolio to 700 shares. In a delayed report. Jack Cohn, vice-president of olumbia Pictures, reported the exercise of rights I September to exchange 2,000 common warrants tld through the Robert Cohn Trust for 2,000 lares of common stock, and Abraham Schneider, ew York, treasurer, reported the disposition by ift of 25 shares of common stock, leaving him ith 1,682 shares. Reports on the holdings of persons becoming ficers or directors of registered companies showed lat Samuel Schneider held no Warner Brothers :curities when he became an officer of the cominy November 28. Canteen" Songs Reach Jew Recording High The widest radio musical promotion to be re;ived by a picture has been assured Warners' Hollywood Canteen" with six companies turnig out 13 records of songs from the film, it was mounced this week. "Don't Fence Me In," which as attained first place among the best-sellers in ;tail records, juke boxes and sheet music, has sen recorded by Kate Smith and Horace Heidt )r Columbia, Bing Corsby with the Andrews sis;rs for Decca, Sammy Kaye for Victor, Gene lUtry for Okeh, Three Suns for Classic and Hal Iclntyre for Bluebird. Pennsylvania Houses Aid in lecruiting War Workers Theatres in eastern Pennsylvania are cooperatng with the War Manpower Commission and he U. S. Employment Service in a lecruiting Irive to attract people to jobs in various war )lants in which there is a shortage of employees. k series of two and one-half minute "Stay on ;he Job" trailers are being run in houses in Lan:aster, Scranton and Reading. >hapiro Is Honored Lieutenant Harold Shapiro, USNR, formerly :ounsel for the industry in Milwaukee and now egal officer with Headquarters Squadron, Fleet \ir Wing Twelve, temporarily based ashore at ;he Naval Air Station, Key West, Fla.; was re;ently made an honorary member of the Key West Police Department. Dn Portland Censor Staff Mrs. Thomas Joyce and Mrs. H. H. Sichel have )een named members of the Portland, Ore., motion )icture censor board. Their terms expire Decem)er 31, 1947. SHORT PRODUCT PLAYING BROADWAY Week of January 1 ASTOR • • ■ , Safety Sleuth MGM Feature: Meet Me in St. Louis . . .MGN/I CAPITOL Wandering Here andThere MGM " " ■ ■ Feature: Music for Millions , ... . . MGM CRITERION Mouse Trouble MGM Feature: Can't Help Singing. . . Universal GLOBE Harry Owens and His Royal Hawaiians Vitaphone September in the Rain Vitaphone Feature: Tomorrow the T?^or/(/. . United Artists HOLLYWOOD ^ Champions of the Future VitSphone The Old Grey Hare. Vitaphone Feature: To Have and Have Not.Warner Bros. RIALTO ■ Puppet Love Paramount Rhythm on Wheels Paramount Feature: House of Frankenstein \ln'\versa\ RIVOLI Dear Old Switzerland 20th Cent.-Fox Feature: Keys of the Kingdom 20th Cent.-Fox STRAND Odor-able Kitty Vitaphone Outdoor Living Vitaphone Feature: Hollywood Canteen. . . .VVarner Bros. Bureau of Mines Releases Film on Glass Making A new sound educational film, "Sand and Flame," produced by the Bureau of Mines, Department of Interior, in cooperation with a large automobile manufacturer, has been released for free showing to schools, colleges, war-training classes, the armed forces and organizations, Dr. R. R. Sayers, bureau director, announced in Washington last week. A 16mm sound film running about 28 minutes, it brings to the screen the story of the making of plate glass from special sand, potash, lime and lead, and the mass production of laminated safety glass used in automobiles. Famous Players Canadian Has 980 in Fighting Forces Famous Players Canadian now has 980 employees on the active service list with 40 having been reported killed or missing in action. Plans are now under way for the celebration of the organization's 25th anniversary. On January 23, a dinner in honor of 37 employees who formed part of the original staff when a charter was granted January 23, 1920, will be held in the Royal York Hotel in Toronto and in the Vancouver Hotel, Vancouver, January 30. Goldberg to Expand Circuit in Iowa Ralph D. Goldberg of Omaha has incorporated World Theatres, Inc., with the Iowa Secretary of State and announced plans to open new theatres in Des Moines, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs and "possibly several other Iowa cities," after the war. Mr. Goldberg currently operates seven houses in Omaha, and one in Council Bluffs. Reopen Indianapolis House The Lincoln theatre, Indianapolis, has been remodelled and reopened under the management of Mr. and Mrs. B. L. Nickbarg. Byrnes\4'F Call May Affect Film Operation Slightly Stricter control over the 4,000,000 men in the 4-F Selective Service classification, with induction into the armed forces as a possibility for many of them, was urgedMonday by James F. Byrnes, Director of War Mobilization ajid Reconversion, in his first report to President Roosevelt and Congress. Some effect on film industry operation is anticipated if such action is taken. In his 20,000-word survey, Mr. Byrnes suggested legislation increasing the power of the War Manpower Commission, and an expansion of the War Labor Board's authority, saying that Congress should devise a plan "that would treat the Petrillos and the Averys alike." Referring to his recent suspension of racing, Mr. Byrnes said : "I hope that these actions will suffice. However, it may be necessary for Congress to consider legislation to strength the authority of the War Manpower Commission." ' I'he proposed increase of the WMC's power was seen as a device that would allow it to enforce more effectively its regulations limiting the number of men that employers could retain in their plants. Mr. Byrnes, in warning against too rapid reconversion, said that a "too early" start had been made in that direction following a wave of optimism, and that plans had to be reversed later. Must Maintain Production The mobilization director stressed that all-out ' war production must be maintained until at least "one of our enemies" is defeated. "Only then," he said, "can we lessen, our effort." He called for resistance to the demands of workmen to return to peace time production until the military commanders had all the supplies necessary to successful prosecution of the war. After saying that he was in favor of a national service law, Mr. Byrnes pointed out, "I am still practical enough to know that it is most controversial. So I have got to go ahead with the tools that are here." Mr. Byrnes took an unequivocal position on Government seizure of private enterprises. He declared : "Government seizure and operation to avoid interference with the war effort has been necessary in only a few cases where employers or workers failed to live up to their wartime responsibilities. I recommend that the Congress should provide in addition to seizure other means of enforcement. "The War Labor Board should have the right, wherever it considers it necessary, in the public interest, to make its decisions mandatory and legally enforceable in the courts without resort to seizure." The battle for economic stabilization would not end with the defeat of the enemy in Europe, Mr. Byrnes commented, but might even extend beyond victory in the Pacific. If the war ended first in Europe, munitions requirements would decline and some temporary unemployment would be unavoidable, but manpower and materials would be needed for reconversion, he added. Tax Revision Faces Delay Wartime taxation should end with the war, Mr. Byrnes said, but there could be no general revision until the struggle terminated on all fronts. Postwar levels of Government expenditures will be several times higher than in prewar years. The report cited the figures on recent investments in industrial plants. Since July, 1940, more than $20,000,000 has been put into new or expanded plants and about three-fourths of the money vvas supplied by the Government. Government facilities, including about $1,000,000,000 of work still to be done, total $16,078,000,000. Not all of the plants will be disposable, but "for most of these facilities it will be sound public policy to get them as quickly as possible into the hands of private parties who will operate them competitively." Mr. Byrnes said. vlOTlON PICTURE HERALD, JANUARY 6, 1945 33